Booker T. - Evergreen (Rare Memphis Soul/Funk Album US 1974)

Playing organ and keyboards in the MG's, one the greatest R&B and soul bands in the history of pop music, Booker T. Jones was no stranger to the pop world when he recorded Evergreen in 1974. As part of the MG's, he played on innumerable Stax Records sessions backing everyone from Otis Redding to Sam & Dave, and the MG's hit the charts a few times themselves, beginning with the timeless "Green Onions" instrumental in 1962.

But things began going south for Stax in the early '70s, and Jones could see the writing on the wall, leaving the label well before it filed for bankruptcy in 1975 and signing with A&M Records in 1971 and consequently releasing a series of albums with his then-wife Priscilla Coolidge. He signed with Epic Records in 1974, issued Evergreen, and then returned to A&M Records. Evergreen isn't a soul record, at least not the way the MG's did it, and Jones wore several hats at the sessions, playing some guitar and bass on it in addition to organ and keyboards, handled most of the vocals, and also wrote, arranged, and produced all the tracks (with the exception of a cover of Kris Kristofferson's "Why Me").

It's really a laid-back roots album, and one doesn't get any of Jones' famous organ playing until the fourth cut, an instrumental called "Flamingo," and it's there on the title track, "Evergreen," as well, but most of the album is a light-breezed mix of folk melodies, subtle calypso, and reggae rhythms, ragtime, and what is know these days as soul-jazz, and it's all very pleasing, but far from the greasy soul-funk sound of the MG's. Wounded Bird Records reissued Evergreen in 2013, adding in six bonus tracks, which included the single version of "Evergreen" and interesting cover versions of "Take Me to the River" and "Whiter Shade of Pale," none of which change the overall mood and feel of the original album.

Booker T. Jones was one of the architects of the Memphis soul sound of the 1960s as the leader of Booker T. & the MG's, who scored a number of hits on their own as well as serving as the Stax Records house band. But Jones' accomplishments don't stop there, and as a producer, songwriter, arranger, and instrumentalist, he's worked with a remarkable variety of artists, from Willie Nelson to John Lee Hooker, from Soul Asylum to the Roots.

Booker T. Jones was born in Memphis, Tennessee on November 12, 1944. Jones developed an keen interest in music as a boy; while working a paper route, he used to pass by the house of jazz pianist Phineas Newborn, and would often stop and listen to him practice as he folded newspapers. By the time Jones was in high school, he helped to direct the school band and was proficient on saxophone, trombone, oboe, and keyboards; he also played organ during services at his church, and would occasionally sneak out and sit in with R&B combos at local nightclubs.

In 1960, Jones, a frequent customer at Memphis' Satellite Record Shop, was recruited to play sax on a Rufus and Carla Thomas recording session when the proprietors of the store, Estelle Axton and Jim Stewart, decided to start their own record label. The label soon evolved into Stax Records, and Jones, along with guitarist Steve Cropper (who was managing the record store when he met Jones), bassist Lewis Steinberg (later replaced by Donald "Duck" Dunn), and drummer Al Jackson Jr., would form the MG's, who would back up Stax artists Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Eddie Floyd, Albert King, and many others, as well as releasing a steady stream of instrumental recordings on their own, including the smash hit "Green Onions." Jones' productivity in the early to mid-'60s is all the more remarkable as he was also a full-time student at Indiana University, where he studied composition and music theory while doing shows and recording sessions during weekends and vacations.

HomeBooker T. & the MG's enjoyed considerable success in their heyday -- cutting hits, backing Stax's leading artists, touring Europe and the U.K. with the Stax/Volt Revue, and accompanying Otis Redding for his legendary set at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival -- but between internal disputes at Stax (mostly regarding the spoils of their successful distribution deal with Atlantic Records) and the increasingly busy schedules of the various members, the group was on the verge of breaking up, and in 1970, Jones relocated to Los Angeles.

He had already been branching out, appearing on Delaney & Bonnie's 1969 album Home and Mitch Ryder's ambitious The Detroit-Memphis Experiment, and after 1971's Melting Pot, the MG's quietly broke up. Jones stayed busy with session work, playing on albums by Bob Dylan, Steven Stills, Kris Kristofferson, and Rita Coolidge, and in 1971 he released Booker T. & Priscilla, the first of two albums he would record with his then-wife, Priscilla Coolidge-Jones (the sister of Rita Coolidge).

The same year, Jones produced Just as I Am, the outstanding debut album by Bill Withers, which featured the hits "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Grandma's Hands." In 1975, Jones and the MG's were working on a reunion album when Al Jackson, Jr. was murdered; the group continued to record with drummer Willie Hall, but they parted ways again in 1977. In 1978, Jones released his first solo album, Try and Love Again, and enjoyed one of his biggest successes as a producer with Willie Nelson's Stardust, a collection of pop standards that established Nelson as one of country's biggest crossover acts.

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Om Mini LP CDs

Bra att veta om dessa CDs: Replica CDs are official audiophile releases manufactured in Japan with incredible attention to detail. CDs made in Japan are revered by collectors and specialists for their very clean sound, production quality, and they are superior in nearly every way to pressings from other countries.The Japanese packaging of classic albums in cardboard sleeve miniature is a wonder to behold. Mini-LP CD albums are like precious stones or perfectly cut diamonds.The superb mastering (often SHM-CD, 20 Bit, 24 Bit, K2, DSD, or HDCD) and resultant sound quality is superior to that of MFSL releases.Replicas are often the nearly exact duplications of the first pressings of the 12" LPs and everything that was present in the original LP may be included such as gatefolds, booklets, lyric sheets, posters, printed CD sleeves, stickers, embosses, special paper or inks, and die cuts.In nearly all replica releases a detail sheet is included, and although the text may be in Japanese, the insert will often include the lyrics in English, which is a big plus if the original LP did not include them. Japan promotional strips, also called OBI, are usually included with the package as a way of advertising the CD to the Japanese buying public.On occasion a replica CD will have bonus tracks included that were part of a later CD release. However, the notes about the bonus tracks are never added to the album artwork, only the promotional strip or the detail sheet. Thus the integrity of the original LP artwork is maintained.Replica CDs are not officially for sale outside Japan, but they are worth the trouble and cost to get them. Replica CDs are expensive in Japan. New releases of replica CDs cost anywhere from $30 to $60 a piece and Japanese law forbids putting "new" CDs on sale or selling at any price other than listed on the Obi (promotional strip).Most replica CDs are manufactured in a limited quantity and sell out quite quickly after release. Because of this replica CDs are splendid keepsakes that hold their value and will likely continue to be items sought by collectors.

About Paper Sleeve CD's

The world of paper Jacquet collected the best of technology that Japan is proud of. Work is not only the music, the stunning artwork of the LP era, which has been talked about with its jacket, original color and form, of course, it has been thoroughly reprinted up to the texture and texture of the paper. Especially from the late 60's and 70's, special specification jacket elaborate stiffness are also many announcement, a perfect reproduction of them with miniaturized is also reminiscent of a miniature garden and elaborate model

Flipback Konvolut

Folding the printed paper itself, pasted-made light jacket. This is called because many have been adopted in the United Kingdom (E). Especially works of 60's, laminated in order to give a gloss on the surface (PP stick) has been there are many. Other, form and the back of the upper and lower has been narrowed down, the margin of bonding there are variations, such as flipback cover.

Utvik Konvolut

Open When the jacket of luxury specifications on the inside, such as photos and lyrics are printed. Because it is similar to the photo of the album, there is a theory that began to call the album LP record for singles. Overseas called gatefold. Front and back, medium surface within bag work of Keefe and hypnosis that was designed (to be described later) in a consistent concept is popular. In addition, 2-Disc LP, etc., open state in the double-jacket that there is a pocket for accommodating the LP to the left or right, but what there is no pocket only one with a single thing called a semi-double jacket, double as their generic name - sometimes referred to as a jacket.

Special Konvolut

That of the jacket with a special design / production process in order to get a personality. It has been originally produced on the basis of a certain standard LP is there, spread and may become like the poster, or attach the 3D (three-dimensional), embossed ( embossing) or the processing, die cut (hollowed out) processing or the, that or use a paper that has been with the textured and pattern, the more attractive for the fans It increases. The box set that was bundled a booklet of materials and bonusand, what made a jacket with a special material.

Special Konvolut

Special Konvolut

Relief Konvolut

Exakta Mini Boxar

"Obi" Fliken

Many are wound on the left side of the jacket, that of paper that describes the artist name and title in Japanese. Put the jacket top there is also a variation such as "covering zone". Japan and it is a unique specification, for the listener is often discarded after the purchase, a band with a valuable record LP is popular with enthusiasts around the world as "with OBI". In recent years, the design has been growing number of cases, which is also reproduced in the paper jacket CD.

EXTRA TILLBEHÖR SOM PÅ ORIGINAL LP'.

BONUS KONVOLUTOriginal and different (different) things jacket using the design. Or if the Publisher of the label in the UK and the US different, especially many in the world release of the mid '60s. The SHM-CD / paper jacket of Universal International, for a Def Jacquet title, has been set as much as possible in the form of "bonus paper jacket".

INNERPÅSEThat of the bag to protect the records that are in the inside jacket. Although often nothing of what print is also not pure white, is designed with a jacket and a similar concept, that such as photos and lyrics are printed is reproduced even paper jacket CD. Other, there is also what is referred to as Company Sleeve which has been used the same general-purpose design and other LP that was released around the same time. The foreign Release LP disc was housed directly in these paper bags, Japanese board LP often are housed in clear plastic bag called Shaw Rex.

LÅTTEXTERGeneric name of the hand, adjunct that is not a bag-shaped. Many have described such as musicians, referred to as the ones that are especially me lyrics and lyrics card. Of course, it is the part that is reproduced in the paper jacket CD.

CD ETIKETTPaper label on the center of the record. Rarely in such singles some of which were the direct printing on PVC material. Artist name, album name, music, music creator, the label name is described, the production process, since the time of jacket printing to others not determined the song order is an important part reveal the recording contents. But usually it is used record company common design, there is also a place that changed the design to the each time as Island Records, become material, even for understanding the issue time of record. In addition, there are also those that are designed with a jacket and a consistent concept. The SHM-CD / paper jacket of Universal International, has this label was two-sided printing (AB surface) "label card" as much as possible inclusion.